Archives for May 2018

Summer is almost here and I can smell the ocean and feel the sand beneath my toes! I don’t know anyone that does not dream about a tropical beach vacation. Do you? Once you have your dream destination chosen, you need to pack!

Here are a few must have essentials for your beach vacation!

Self Tanner

First, there is something you need start doing about a week prior to you boarding the plane and that is start your golden glow! Yes, you can start your tan off right with an amazing self-tanner, so when you get off the plane at your beach destination, your skin will be golden and you can wear your cute shorts, dresses and swimsuits without blinding anyone. My absolute favorite self tanner is Vita Liborata Self Tanner. It goes on effortlessly, does not smell, is not sticky, looks natural and last a long time.

Amazing Swimsuit

Next you need an amazing swimsuit that you will feel great wearing, but you can also function effortlessly. I love this suit by Becca (I recommend sizing up one size). It is sexy, but not too revealing and it covers all the areas that need covering. This mama can’t pull off cheeky bottoms!

Fabulous & Functional Cover Up

Now, you can’t just leave your room and walk around in your swimsuit and you don’t want to just throw a towel around you as you head out the door. A fabulous and functional cover up is a must. I love this one by Becca and I found this one that looks really cute!

Becca Swim Cover UpJeasona Cover UpJeasona Cover Up

Stylish Waterproof Sandals

You definitely want to pack a pair of sandals that you can kick on and off easily, are stylish, and waterproof. I love this pair of jelly sandals in gold that will easily go with everything and you can don’t have to worry about them getting wet or sandy. They even have matching ones for little girls – Mommy & Me!

Brim Hat

A generous sized brim hat is essential on a beach vacation to shade your face from the suns rays and will also keep you looking stylish poolside. I love this one from Eric Javits, which can be crushed and crumpled into your luggage or beach tote and it will pop right back to shape as soon as you take it out. And, it’s adjustable!

Sun Screen

Sunscreen is a must from the moment you step off the plane! You need one for your body and one for your face. My all-time favorite sunscreen for my face is this one by Elta MD. This facial sunscreen helps calm skin and protect skin that is prone to breakouts, rosacea and discoloration. It’s so lightweight and not greasy.

Another one that I will be packing is this one by Pacifica. It is waterproof, has probiotics, and free of chemical UV absorbers. This will perfect for when I will be in the water and not just lounging pool-side.

It’s so important to protect your body from the sun. There is nothing worse than waking up from a relaxing nap at the beach to find your skin the color of a lobster. This does not make for a fun vacation! It’s always good to put on a generous and even layer of sun lotion as your base layer and my go to is this one which is water-resistant and smells like a tropical vacation! After you apply an even and generous base layer of lotion, you can then reapply with a sunscreen spray, which is super easy to do as you can just easily spray yourself and my favorite is this one. And, I am excited to try this new one that looks pretty amazing!!!

Tinted Moisturizer with SPF

Okay, so when I am on vacation, my make up is at it’s minimum and when I say minimum, I mean that I only put on a tinted a moisturizer with SPF. A good CC cream like this one is perfect for vacation to even out your skin tone, give you a nice glow and add an extra layer of SPF.

Waterproof Mascara

And, to finish off my vacation makeup, I add a little waterproof mascara like this one, which is a favorite! As they say, “lashes make everything better!”

What are your favorite beach vacation essentials? I would love to know!

Before I jump into this amazing recipe, I have to start by telling where it came from! It came from my current favorite recipe book “Simply Keto” by Suzanne Ryan.

My dear friend told me about this cookbook and told me how amazing it was (she is the best cook, so I new it had to be good), so I jumped onto Amazon and bought a copy immediately! Thank you Amazon Prime!!! I have been obsessed with this cookbook ever since it arrived! Let me me tell you why this cookbook is so amazing!

Suzanne is relatable – She shares her story and journey

It goes over EVERYTHING you need to know about Keto – great if you are new to Keto or want have everything in one book

Gives you shopping lists – she even lists out what you can get at Costco, Safeway, Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods

Gives you a 30-day meal plan

Tips on dining out on Keto

Most importantly, the recipes are easy AND delicious!

This cookbook is worth every penny and then some! If you are interested in this cookbook you can get it here – Simply Keto by Suzanne Ryan.Now, onto this delicious recipe! It is not only keto, but is also paleo, gluten-free, and dairy-free! How awesome is that? And,it only takes 5 minutes to prep and it’s a hit with the whole family! Suzanne mentioned that it pairs nicely with asparagus, so that’s what I made! She didn’t say how to prepare it, so I just cooked my asparagus in a saute pan in a little EVOO with freshly minced garlic and fresh lemon juice with a little dash of salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place the macadamia nuts, parsley, and lemon juice into a food processor and pulse/chop until the mixture is slightly chunkier than breadcrumb consistency. Be sure not to over blend or you will end up with nut butter.

Rinse the tilapia with cold water, pat dry with a paper towel and place on the lined baking sheet.

Top each filet with with 1 tsp of coconut oil and then the macadamia nut mixture, pressing it into the fish. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the top is crisp and slightly golden. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.

I was nominated for the Sunshine Blogger Award 2018! It is awarded by bloggers to new bloggers to support them and spread their work. I just want to say thank you to Lucy, the author of Lucys Big Adventure and lovely blogger who nominated me for the Sunshine Blogger Award.

THE RULES OF THE SUNSHINE BLOGGER AWARD:

Thank the blogger who nominated you in the blog post and link back to their blog. Answer the 11 questions the blogger asked you. Nominate 11 new blogs to receive the award and write them 11 new questions. List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your post and/or your blog.

MY ANSWERS TO LUCY

Where was your first ever holiday?

As a infant I began traveling with my grandparents around the United States in their motorhome, so I am sure it was somewhere in California for my very first trip.

What made you start writing a blog?

I love sharing things that I love with everyone and I thought a blog would be a great platform for sharing.

What are you top 5 places you would like to travel too?

Japan, Paris, France, Tahiti and Greece

If you had an unlimited budget what would be your idea of the perfect trip?

I would love to go on that new cruise that goes all over the world! How amazing would that be??

Are you more rural or urban when it comes to travels?

I like a little of both!

What is the longest trip you have been on and why?

I think it was 3 month journey across the US and back home again. It was my most memorable trip!

What is the ultimate goal for your blog?

To bring women together to inspire, learn and motivate one another.

Will you ever stop travelling and why?

No, I love seeing and learning about new places

Solo or group travel?

Group – travel is always more fun with friends!

What would you say to someone who wants to travel but is too nervous?

Start slowly. Travel somewhere within a comfort level and then branch out.

Do you ever get homesick?

Yes, I love my home.

What is your worse experience when travelling?

We had been picked up at the airport by a driver and taken to our hotel and discovered that my luggage was not in the vehicle. It was left at the airport, just sitting there! The driver didn’t put it into the SUV! Luckily, it was still at the airport!

I feel honored that thankful to be involved in this supportive community and to be nominated for the Sunshine Blogger Award 2018. If you still have 5 minutes, please check out my subscribe to my blog and check out the blogs the blogs that I nomitated and let me know what you think.

Do you want to lose weight, reduce your bloating, help your digestion and have overall better health with one easy, natural and inexpensive product??? If yes, then read on…

Okay, I am a little obsessed with apple cider vinegar! And, I want to share with you why I am obsessed with it, why I don’t go a day without it and why you should consider adding it to your daily routine. There are so many benefits to ACV! I am going to share with you how I drink it, offer you a few starter recipes as well introduce you to an amazing new AVC product that I just recently discovered and I am loving!

A little back story for you… I started battling stomach and skin issues about 6 years ago and I spent 3 years trying to figure out what the heck was going on with my stomach and skin – bloating, stomach pain, gas, and cystic acne (TMI, I know, but just keeping it real). I cut out different foods, drinks and tried different supplements, then reintroduced foods and drinks back into my diet and played around with the supplements and then repeat. After 3 long years, I figured it all out! Yay! My discovery – gluten was the main cause of my bloating, stomach pain, and gas, while coffee and black tea (regular and decaf) was what was causing my cystic acne. Even though I have cut out gluten and coffee, I still had some minor digestion issues. I decided to try ACV after learning of all the health benefits and ACV has been a life changer! Let’s just say that if I miss a dose of ACV, my body let’s me know it!

Another huge reason that I added ACV into my daily routine is that diabetes runs in my family and when I was pregnant with my 3rd child I developed gestational diabetes. Research has shown that women that have had gestational diabetes have an increased likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes later in life. So, the fact that it can help with blood sugar levels and can help to prevent diabetes is a huge benefit for me.

Now, add in all the other benefits and it’s a no-brainer! Why would you not want to take ACV everyday?

When do I drink my ACV?

First thing in the morning, prior to my first meal. If I can, I will also drink it prior to lunch and dinner, but that doesn’t always happen. Life is busy and I am not always at home with my bottle of ACV (not the easiest thing to carry around with you). But, I just discovered an amazing solution for on-the-go ACV (see below).

Why take it before meals? This helps to improve digestion, aid in the absorption of nutrients and help curb cravings and appetite.

Can you take it after your meal? Yes! It will help reduce sugar spikes!

My favorite Apple Cider Vinegar:

Bragg’s Organic Apple Cider Vinegar is the best ACV and you can find it at your local grocery store. It’s organic, raw, unfiltered, has the “Mother” which is strands of proteins, enzymes and friendly bacteria.

I just recently discovered and tried Squeeze Dried Apple Cider Vinegar and I absolutely love it! The taste is amazing and it’s comes in single serving packs that are perfect for on-the-go and traveling! I took these on our family vacation to Sedona and the Grand Canyon and they perfect! Each single serving has 1 TBS of ACV. Simply mix one packet with water and drink! You can order a Squeeze Dried free sample pack here and you just have to pay shipping! How cool is that?! It’s worth a try!

How to start taking ACV:

Let’s be honest here, ACV is an acquired taste and it’s hard to get down your first couple of times or maybe more. The key is starting out slow (baby steps) and not giving up, consistency is key! You will get used to it. I enjoy the taste of now! A fabulous way to start is with the Squeeze Dried Apple Cider Vinegar mentioned above. It tastes delicious right from the start! Or, you can make these recipes below…

Recipes:

Here are some great starter recipes to get you started!

There are so many uses for apple cider vinegar and I will be sharing those with you in an upcoming post! Until then, give ACV a shot and let me know how it goes! And, if you have a favorite ACV recipe to share, please leave it in the comments below!

* I am not in any way affiliated with Bragg’s or Squeeze Dried. These are my true and honest opinions!